Resentencing put on hold for culprit in Hayman fire
Denver – A resentencing of a former U.S. Forest Service employee who admitted setting the largest wildfire in Colorado history has been delayed indefinitely, her public defender said Thursday.
Terry Lynn Barton, 42, was sentenced on state charges to 12 years in prison in 2003, twice the typical term.
But the Colorado Court of Appeals ordered a new sentencing, saying the judge in the case may have been biased because smoke from the 138,000-acre Hayman wildfire in 2002 forced him to evacuate his home. A hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday.
Barton’s public defender, Mark Walta, said the Colorado Supreme Court agreed in May to review a similar sentencing situation from Montezuma County, and Barton’s case has been put on hold pending the outcome of the Montezuma case. She is due to complete her federal sentence in June 2008, according to the prison’s bureau.
DENVER
Ritter campaign funds pass $2 million mark
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter announced Thursday that he has raised more than $2 million for his campaign, including $121,000 in the past two weeks.
The deadline for reporting the fundraising data to the Colorado secretary of state’s office is next week, but the Ritter campaign made the announcement early to trumpet its success.
John Marshall, spokesman for the Republican candidate, U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, replied that he’s “glad to hear (Ritter) finally got over the $2 million mark.”
The Beauprez campaign, which passed the $2 million mark during the last reporting period, plans to release its financial information next week.
DENVER
Kin of hunter to sue ranch over shooting
The family of a Qwest executive killed while turkey hunting filed a lawsuit Thursday against the ranch that hired and gave a rifle to the suspect, an illegal immigrant who fled to Mexico after the shooting.
Jeffrey R. Garrett, 37, of Aurora was killed May 14, 2005, while hunting on federal Bureau of Land Management land. According to the suit, Oscar Hoyos DeLa Cruz, 50, was working on the Bear Wallow Ranch in Gar field County next to the BLM land when he fired a .22-caliber rifle at what he thought was a turkey.
The shot struck Garrett, an assistant vice president for Denver-based Qwest Communications International Inc.
DeLaCruz was arrested last month in Mexico and will be prosecuted there, facing up to 24 years in prison.
Representatives of Bear Wallow Ranch did not return a call for comment.
WASHINGTON
Allard given ideas on fighting pine beetles
A delegation from two government coalitions on Thursday presented U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard with a list of 13 suggestions to help combat an outbreak of pine beetles throughout the Colorado mountains.
In the private meeting, members of Colorado Counties Inc. and the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments offered the suggestions for Allard to include in a bill he has introduced.
“We are in a position to take steps to help avert a potentially monumental disaster before it starts,” said Allard, a Colorado Republican.
DENVER
Homeless agencies get $2.5 million in grants
The group charged with tackling Denver homelessness said Thursday that it had distributed $2.5 million to 16 local organizations toward combating the problem.
That brings to more than $10 million the amount of money doled out since last year, when Denver’s Road Home was organized as part of the city’s 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Funding sources include local foundations, government grants and individual donors.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Perlmutter addresses Bush in stem-cell ad
Democrat Ed Perlmutter, candidate for the 7th Congressional District, unveiled a television ad Thursday that calls on President Bush to end his opposition to stem-cell research.
The ad includes Perlmutter’s daughter Alexis, who suffers from epilepsy. If elected, Perl mutter said he will fight for federal support for embryonic stem-cell research because it could help his daughter and others who suffer from certain illnesses.
The U.S. Senate is expected to pass a stem-cell bill early next week. Bush has threatened a veto.
Perlmutter is running against Peggy Lamm and Herb Rubenstein in the Aug. 8 Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican Rick O’Donnell.
BOULDER COUNTY
Man accidentally hit during target shooting
A California man was recovering Thursday after he was accidently shot by his friend’s father in Boulder County, officials said.
Edward Kohere of Colorado Springs was target shooting with his son and his son’s friend, when, about 5:10 p.m., Kohere accidentally set off a 9mm handgun he was reloading, according to a news release from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
The bullet hit his son’s friend in the back, police said.
Kohere drove the 18-year-old, whose name was not released, to a local hospital. From there, officials airlifted the victim to Poudre Valley Medical Center. Officials are still investigating the incident, the statement said.
FLORENCE
Ex-pastor gets lengthy probation for assault
A 73-year-old former pastor has been sentenced to probation for 10 years to life after pleading guilty to a charge of sexual contact with a teenage girl who belonged to his church.
Allan Miller of Williamsburg, former pastor of Victory Apostolic Church in Florence, apologized to the girl, her family and his family during his sentencing hearing Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty in May to sexual assault on a child.
Prosecutors dropped two other charges as part of a plea agreement.
CAÑON CITY
Man offers alibi for son accused of assault
The father of a man who served prison time for the death of a Pueblo detective has testified that his son was with him on the day he is accused of an unrelated assault.
Charles Greenwell, 35, is charged with second-degree assault for allegedly hitting Alan Rogers, 56, in Florence on March 16 in a dispute over an antique table.
Greenwell’s father, Tom Greenwell, testified in a deposition Tuesday that his son was at the elder Greenwell’s home in Avondale that day.
Charles Greenwell is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail. His trial is scheduled for Aug. 1.
